Method for computer evaluation of containers and food to obtain optimum storage and/or use

Abstract

An apparatus includes a scanner, a keypad, a wireless communication component, and an electronic readout device, which are communicatively coupled to a processing device. The processing device is configured to communicate data indicative of a barcode or data indicative of a food product to the remote electronic device. The processing device is also configured to receive from the remote electronic device an indication of a particular container and a corresponding portion size associated with the particular container and the food product. Further, the processing device is configured to effect electronic readout via the electronic readout device of a container indicator corresponding to the indication of the particular container and the corresponding portion size. The container indicator distinguishes the particular container from at least one other particular container and the container indicator corresponds to a physical container indicator of a physical particular container.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a scanner configured to scan a barcode of a food product to generate data indicative of the barcode;   a keypad configured to receive manual entry of data indicative of the food product;   a wireless communication component configured to communicate with a remote electronic device via the Internet;   an electronic readout device;   a processing device communicatively coupled to the scanner, the keypad, the wireless communication component, and the electronic readout, the processing device configured to:
 receive from the scanner the data indicative of the barcode; 
 receive from the keypad the data indicative of the food product; 
 effect communication with the remote electronic device via the wireless communication component; 
 communicate at least one of the data indicative of the barcode or the data indicative of the food product to the remote electronic device; 
 receive from the remote electronic device via the wireless communication component an indication of at least one particular container and a corresponding portion size associated with the at least one particular container and the food product; and 
 effect electronic readout via the electronic readout device of a container indicator corresponding to the indication of the at least one particular container and the corresponding portion size, wherein the container indicator distinguishes the at least one particular container from at least one other particular container and wherein the container indicator corresponds to a physical container indicator of a physical particular container. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the container indicator corresponds, at least in part, to at least one of a particular container style or a particular container size. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the particular container style is at least one of a rigid container style or a flexible container style. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the container indicator comprises a color indicator. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the processing device is configured to receive from the remote electronic device via the wireless communication component the portion size in consideration of the food product as a component of a meal, the meal including the food product and corresponding to the at least one particular container. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the indication of the at least one particular container and the corresponding portion size associated with the at least one particular container and the food product are based, at least in part, on a pre-set total calorie content. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the processing device is configured to receive from the keypad a selection of a calorie intake of at least one of the food product or a meal including the food product. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one of a computer, a smart phone or a personal digital assistant. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising at least one of a voice entry element or a photo entry element configured to receive data indicative of the food product, and wherein the processing device is configured to receive from the at least one of the voice entry element or the photo entry element the data indicative of the food product. 
     
     
         10 . A system comprising:
 a plurality of particular containers having differing container indicators; and   an electronic device comprising:
 an input device comprising at least one of a keypad, a scanner, a camera, or a voice recognition element; 
 a communication component; 
 an electronic readout device; and 
 a processing device communicatively coupled to the input device, the communication component, and the electronic readout, the processing device configured to:
 receive from the input device data indicative of a food product; 
 transmit to a remote server via the communication component a message corresponding to the data indicative of the food product; 
 receive from the remote server via the communication component a response including an indication of at least one particular container of the plurality of particular containers and a corresponding portion size associated with the at least one particular container and the food product; and 
 effect electronic readout via the electronic readout device of a container indicator corresponding to the indication of the at least one particular container and the corresponding portion size. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the container indicator corresponds, at least in part, to at least one of a particular container style or a particular container size. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the particular container style is at least one of a rigid container style or a flexible container style. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the container indicator comprises a color indicator. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the processing device is configured to receive from the remote electronic device via the communication component the portion size in consideration of the food product as a component of a meal, the meal including the food product and corresponding to the at least one particular container. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the indication of the at least one particular container and the corresponding portion size associated with the at least one particular container and the food product are based, at least in part, on a pre-set total calorie content. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the electronic device further comprises at least one of a computer, a smart phone or a personal digital assistant. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the data indicative of the food product comprises at least one of a manual entry of product information via the keypad, a scan of a barcode via the scanner, an image of a barcode via the camera, an image of the food product via the camera, or a spoken description of the food product via the voice recognition device. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 receiving at an input device of a local electronic device an indication of a food product, the input device comprising at least one of a keypad, a scanner, a camera, and a voice recognition device;   transmitting via a wireless communication component of the local electronic device to a remote electronic device via the Internet the indication of the food product;   receiving at the remote electronic device the indication of the food product;   determining at the remote electronic device a particular container of a plurality of containers and a corresponding portion size associated with the particular container and the food product;   transmitting from the remote electronic device to the local electronic device an indication of the particular container and the corresponding portion size;   receiving at the local electronic device the indication of the particular container and the corresponding portion size;   displaying via an electronic readout device of the local electronic device a container indicator corresponding to the indication of the particular container and the corresponding portion size, wherein the container indicator distinguishes the at least one particular container from at least one other particular container and wherein the container indicator corresponds to a physical container indicator of a physical particular container.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein receiving at the input device of the local electronic device the indication of the food product further comprises receiving at least one of a scan of a barcode of the food product via the scanner, an image of the barcode via the camera, or an image of the food product via the camera. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein determining at the remote electronic device the particular container and the corresponding portion size further comprises the remote electronic device cross-referencing a database having a plurality of food products and a plurality of containers to determine the at least one particular container and the corresponding portion size.